The Rise of Taj
by darkmagic-luvr
Summary: After Manticore burned to the ground, Alec lived in Max’s shadow, but after a member of his unit finds him, he has to pick up the role he thought he left behind. eventually MA
1. Chapter I: Copulation and Corpses

**The Rise of Taj  
By darkmagic-luvr  
Rating - R  
Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters seen before you. Any characters you don't recognize do belong to me and I would be delighted if you didn't steal them and make them your own.  
**Summery:** After Manticore burned to the ground, Alec lived in Max's shadow, but after a member of his unit finds him, he has to pick up the role he thought he left behind.  
**Author's Note: **I'm crazy starting something else when I have **Instincts** to write. This is different though. It's about Alec and his unit. It will eventually become MA. This started out as a need to write blood and gore and sadness and developed into something with original characters and other such things. Character pics along with designations are on my profile page. Tell me what you think.

The beginning is set almost immediatly after 'AJBAC', the second part is set two months after 'Designate This' sometime between 'Two' and 'Some Assembly Required'.

* * *

_Chapter I: Copulation and Corpses_

494 told Murphy to take him to 451's cell in place of 632. Told him he'd get cigars, vitamins anything his heart desired. He'd settled for a new necklace for his wife and a box of Cubans and he got 494 into 451's cell right after midnight.

494 walked in, stopping just inside the cell so the door could close behind him. He blinked, for a moment expecting to see the 4'8", honey blonde transgenic bouncing with tension, but 451 was a mess, sitting on her cot with her head between her hands, looking for the world like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. 494's eyes softened at his unit mate's posture and stayed that way when she looked up at him, her eyes filling with hope to see him there instead of 632.

"Did he-?"

"632 told me what was going on," he interrupted, shifting on the balls of his feet, but keeping eye contact with her. "He told me about the breeding program Renfro's setting up. You two are the first test subjects?"

451 scoffed, her eyes shining with tears. She looked away from her CO, couldn't look at him. "She's got some sick thought in her head that since the DNA lab blew up she can make babies the old fashioned way."

"632 told me it was a life or death matter that I showed up here tonight instead of him," 451 could see how hard he was trying not to snark about the situation and stay serious, but his eyes were laughing at her, asking what the hell was going on that he had to be dragged out of bed to…what?

"He's not fertile," said 451 softly and any humor in 494's eyes vanished. "Lydecker told him, but Renfro never got the message."

"So what do you want me to do?" he was holding his breath. She couldn't ask him to-

"I've heard rumors from the medics that they'll kill him because he's defective," said 451, soft blue eyes dropping to the floor. "I need to give Renfro a pregnancy, and I don't know who else to ask."

494 stared at her for a whole minute, his mask reflecting nothing. Then he shrugged and tugged his shirt out of his pants, pulling it off. "Alright. Take your shirt off."

451 gaped at him. Just like that? He was taking her mission on and sleeping with her without any comment? Just like that? 494 looked up at her after not sensing any movement, his fingers playing with the snap on his pants.

"451?" she swallowed and looked away from him, feeling tears well up in her eyes because he didn't feel the way she did about this mission. Creating a living breathing person. She saw him move out of the corner of her eye and felt the cot dip next to her. She could feel the heat radiating off of 494 as he leaned closer to her, his fingers touching her chin gently and turning her face towards his so she would look at him.

"I'm doing this for you, 451," said Alec softly, brushing his hand over her shoulder. "I don't love you the way 632 does, but I do love you."

"494..."

"You said it was the only way," 451 squeezed her eyes shut, sucking in a breath at the softness of his voice. She nodded and his hand moved from her shoulder to the waistband of her pants, pressing his hand flat against her stomach, pushing her onto her back while his other hand worked on the fly of her pants.

"494-" 451 was cut off by a shush, but his hands stilled, moving off her body and onto the mattress. His weight shifted and he moved on top of her, his body pressing against her. They weren't made for each other, so it would be awkward, but the way his nose brushed against her cheek made 451's heart flutter.

"We can do this," he said softly, and she knew he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince her. She turned her head slightly and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. After a moment he moved to kiss her properly, sliding his tongue against hers.

The rest was instinct. Neither of them dwelling on the act itself, both of them keeping their eyes closed so they didn't have to think about who they were copulating with. It was easier if they pretended they weren't with each other. When 494 pulled his clothes on to leave they couldn't look at each other, it was too painful. He wasn't who she wanted and he loved her like a sister. They'd been in the same unit for almost eleven years and in two hours crossed the line so far they would never be able to go back. So 494 left before the sweat on his body had a chance to cool, hoping that they could salvage whatever slice of friendship they had left.

And hoped that in the morning they could look at each other without guilt and nausea twisting in their stomachs.

"X5-451, report," demanded Renfro the next morning, her head cocked to the side, looking positively amused by 632's uncomfortable shifting under her gaze. The little blonde girl at his side stared straight ahead, speaking for the both of them.

"Successful copulation, ma'am," Renfro nodded and gestured to the doctor in the white coat behind her. The great thing about transgenics was that the gestation period was faster than Ordinaries. Sure, it still lasted nine months, because there was a lot of extra little things transgenics had that Ordinaries didn't, but it made predicting pregnancy a hell of a lot faster.

The doctor took 451 buy the elbow and lead her out of Renfro's office and both Ordinaries missed the look that passed between the two transgenics before 451 was lead out and soon after 632 was dismissed as well.

He wouldn't look at 494 during drills, but that was fine because 494 was ignoring him right back. 598 (his SIC) frowned at him through training, having known him the longest, having been closest to him, but she didn't ask what was wrong.

451 didn't return to her unit for a week, and by then the rumors going around about a breeding program and one of the rouge X5's who blew up the DNA lab was in ReDoc had everyone suspicious. They weren't talking about it, but rumors still had a way of spreading and by the time 451 returned to her unit, Renfro had already decided that the breeding program would be up and running in no time. A successful pregnancy from 451 and 632 in her eyes. But the transgenic knew better. They could _smell_ 494 on 451.

No one was going to tell Renfro. They weren't frickin' suicidal.

_Eight months later._

Alec was getting out of Jam Pony late, plans to hit up a strip joint with Normal and Sketch. It'd had been raining steadily all day, but now it was starting to get nasty. Alec shrugged out of his wet t-shirt and pulled on another one, trying to ignore Normal's eyes burning into his flesh. The rain outside was dulling his senses and he was nearly floored when he caught the scent of someone so very familiar. He jerked sharply, his shirt almost over his head and turned to the entrance of Jam Pony, his eyes widening at the petite, very pregnant girl staring at him, her pale blue eyes wide with pain and relief.

With a jerk Alec pulled his shirt down the rest of the way, slamming his locker shut and nearly blurring up to 451, slipping his arms around her to keep her standing as she wavered on her feet.

"Alec?" her voice sounded pained and breathy in his ear, and Alec pulled her into his arms, smoothing down her wet hair from her face.

"451-"

"Polly," he felt himself smirk at that, her name. It fit her perfectly.

"Who's your friend, Super Star?" asked Normal from the dispatch counter. Alec closed his eyes and reluctantly pulled away from Polly.

"This is my…friend, Polly," with his transgenic hearing Alec picked up the hitch in Polly's breath and he immediately turned back to her, searching her face, moving down the slope of her breasts and finally resting on her stomach, where she was carrying his child. He blinked back up at her face and frowned.

"Polly where's-?"

"Vin," she finished, her eyes welling with tears. She shook her head, brining a hand up to her face, trying to hide her hurt. "He's dead."

"Oh, god, Polly-"

"Some guy in a s-suit, FBI or something, killed him."

"White," said Alec softly, placing his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Polly, I'm so sorry-"

He was interrupted by Polly's flinch of pain and his face darkened, his hand moving from her shoulder to her stomach. "Polly, how long have you been in labor?"

She flinched again, more at his tone than the pain and he saw how pale she was, the dark circles under her eyes. She was a night model, but she still had to sleep, and it looked like she hadn't in weeks. She looked away from him and he felt his eyes narrow with anger.

"I'm taking you to the hospital-"

"No doctors," she snapped, still not able to look him in the face. "No hospitals."

Alec rolled his eyes. "So what, you want me to deliver the kid myself?"

"It's your kid, Alec," she said softly, and he could see her eyes fill with tears and felt his heart constrict. She was right. Now that 632- Vin - was gone, and the rest of the unit was MIA, he was going to have to help her take care of the baby. It was their's after all. He couldn't deliver a baby though, he wasn't trained in that.

"Damn it, where's 724 when you need her?" Alec chuckled in agreement. Seriously, where was a medic when you needed one? Or the rest of their unit for that matter. She flinched again and reached out to grab onto the front of his t-shirt. Alec felt useless. If he couldn't go to a doctor then who could he-

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, pulling out his cell phone and dialing the only person that came to mind who wouldn't kick his ass or ask too many questions. He waited, eyes closed, for someone to answer the phone.

"Logan," he said finally, releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "I need your help."

Logan sighed on the other end and Alec could just imagine the older man rubbing his eyes under his glasses, sitting in front of his computer doing hero-y things. _"Alec…"_

"Logan, it's important," Alec couldn't help but notice that he was almost begging. Logan apparently noticed too, because Alec heard movement on the other line and a door shut.

"_What is it, Alec?"_

"I need you to help a friend of mine, can you get to Jam Pony?"

"_Sure, Alec, but who-?"_

"I'll explain when you get here," Alec snapped his phone shut, tucking it back into his pocket and turning his attention back on Polly. She was staring at him suspiciously.

"What are you doing, Alec? Calling for help? That's not like you."

"Desperate times…" started Alec, trailing off as his eyes fell to her abdomen and then back up. He gave her a half hearted smirk. "Desperate measures and all that."

Alec watched his unit mates blue eyes fill with tears. She tugged him forward by the shirt, letting her forehead fall against his chest. It felt like old times and Alec didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around his little sister, keeping her close and warm until Logan arrived.

It was twenty minutes before Logan called again, telling Alec he was near by. By then he had Polly in his arms, whispering things about his life outside Manticore. He learned that his SIC (598) had christened herself Tack, that she had been captured by White as well and Vin had given his life trying to get the three of them out. That Polly had left Tack to look for him, had been looking for him for months. Had finally found him after learning of his little stint in cage fighting. By the time Logan called Alec was getting seriously worried and Polly had started shaking in pain.

When Alec finally found the place Logan had parked he nearly wept with relief. That stupid, wore out car was probably the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Logan was leaning against Bessie, the whirling from his exoskeleton reaching Alec's ears from half a block away.

"Logan!" the older man turned, clearly annoyed by being there, his mouth opening to say something to Alec about how he had to fix the world or whatever but he froze instead, his eyes sliding over the small woman in his arms.

"I thought you said a friend needed help," said Logan when Alec was close enough and the shock wore off. Alec glared at him.

"She is my friend. Logan this is Polly. 451, this is Logan Cale." Alec knew he probably sounded a bit bitter, seeing as how Polly was slipping in and out of consciousness and wouldn't have hear him anyways. Logan nodded in understanding and moved around the car, opening the door for Alec so he could get his friend into the backseat more easily.

"What's wrong with her?"

"White got to her," said Alec, his eyes darkening at the thought. "She's in labor."

"We should get her to the hospital-"

"This has to be kept quiet," hissed Alec, interrupting Logan. "White's probably still looking for her. She's only eight months pregnant, they'll keep the baby for observation, Polly too and then White 'll find out... Please, Logan, call one of your contacts or something."

Logan knew he was right and despite feeling uncomfortable about helping Alec out he could never just ignore a person in need. He replied instantly. "Doctor Shankar. We can trust her."

Alec nodded and the discussion was over. He climbed into the back seat with Polly. While Logan moved to the drives side. He took a moment to glance back at Alec, who had pulled Polly into his chest and was stroking her hair soothingly, muttering into her hear in a volume only she could hear. His eyes flickered back to the road and he started up the car, pulling out his cell phone and hoping Shankar would answer.

.

Alec had his eyes closed, both hands holding one of hers and his lips pressed against her knuckles. This was torture. Logan was standing in the doorway watching Doctor Shankar work, his face as grim as the good doctors.

"Alec, just go," whispered Polly, turning her face to look at him, her eyes dull with pain. Alec kept his eyes closed and tightened his grip on her hand as an answer, he didn't move as she screamed, cursing himself and Manticore and Max for blowing up the DNA lab because if it wasn't for her Polly wouldn't be in this mess.

"It's a girl," said Shankar softly after what felt like hours. Alec flinched, not able to look at his daughter, not when Polly was lying on Logan's couch looking like the world just crashed on top of her. There was something wrong, Alec could smell it in the air.

"What's wrong," he asked darkly, his eyes never leaving Polly's. Whatever it was, Shankar had been sitting on it for a while, had known about it since she walked into the room.

"Whatever drugs are in her system," she hesitated. "They're killing her."

"What about the baby?" asked Logan. His voice was too loud. Shankar looked a the little girl in her arms and then back at Logan.

"She'll be fine. It's Polly that's dying."

"Please leave," said Alec seriously. He knew without looking that Logan and Shankar were glad to go, and they left quickly, giving the two transgenic privacy. In the kitchen Alec could hear the baby crying.

Polly groaned in pain and turned over, facing him, placing her hand against his chest and Alec place one of his over it quickly.

"Just leave me to die," she whispered, pushing her hand against his chest weakly. Alec swallowed the lump in his throat. That was it, wasn't it? She was going to die and he couldn't do anything about it.

"I'm not going to let you die by yourself."

"So you're going to subject yourself to watching me die? That's illogical."

She was never the logical one. That was always him. Alec moved his hand to her face, cupping her cheek and letting his palm warm the skin beneath it. He always let his mask fall when he was with his unit, they were the only ones who knew exactly what he was thinking just by looking at his eyes. Polly closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him, the pain in his eyes, the determination. He wasn't going to let her die in peace, and he wasn't going to let her go.

"Promise you'll take care of her?" she asked softly and Alec realized he was crying. He shut his eyes for a moment, squeezing the remaining tears from his eyes before looking back at her.

"I promise."

Polly nodded, turning in her face into his hand. Alec leaned closer to her, pressing his forehead against hers and waited until the dull thump of her pulse in his ears slowed and stopped completely. She was gone and he let the tears fall down his face.

After what felt like hours Alec's tears subsided, his throat was burning from the strain and the cold of Polly's body was starting to sting his skin, but he couldn't pull away from her. He could smell Logan as he walked into the room, his scent too overpowering and unfamiliar for Alec's senses.

"Alec? I can call Max. In case you wanted to talk-"

"Please, Logan," snapped Alec, his voice hoarse and sore. "Leave me alone."

"She's gone, Alec," said Logan, continuing on as if he hadn't heard him. "You have to let her go."

"You wouldn't get it," said Alec. "You could never understand what this is like."

"You have to take care of the baby, Alec. Find Polly's breeding partner or someone who can take care of her. If you want I can use my contacts to-"

"I'm her father," said Alec softly.

Logan seemed floored by his confession and Alec could almost hear the cogs turning in the Ordinaries head before he spoke again.

"You? I thought you were Max's…"

"Polly's breeding partner was someone named Vin. He was infertile, so Polly asked me to… I was her CO so I… I don't know why I'm even explaining myself to you, it's not like you care."

"So find this Vin guy and-"

"Vin's dead," said Alec softly. "White killed him."

"You need to tell Max. Tell her-"

"Tell her what? That I got myself into another problem and need her to bail my ass out?" Alec snorted, suddenly feeling hysterical and tired. He shook his head angrily. "I used to be better than that. I _am_ better than that. "

"Alec-"

"Don't Logan," he interrupted again, moving his hand up to Polly's face, closing her eyelids. He sighed, his jaw clenching as he fought off a wave of grief. "I have to ask. Polly, she- She's my sister, I can't just dump her body somewhere-"

Alec cut himself off, overwhelmed that he was asking Logan to help him get rid of his sister's body. Logan, for all his people skills were worth, understood what he was asking and hesitated for a moment before relaxing into the door. "Of course."

Neither man moved for a long time until Alec finally shifted next to the couch, pressing a kiss to Polly's forehead and standing up. He turned around to move away from the couch and Logan's eyes widened at how terrible the younger man looked. Like he lost a piece of himself. The baby in the kitchen with Shankar started crying and Logan watched something pass over Alec's face, his head snapping towards the sound of the noise.

"You have a daughter now, Alec," said Logan, following Alec with his eyes as he made his way past him and into the kitchen. Shankar handed the little girl over to Alec gently, showing him out to hold her without breaking her.

"She's beautiful." asked Shankar.

"It's in the genes," said Alec softly, his lips tugging into a grin. He frowned suddenly, glancing over at the back of her neck, sucking in a breath at what he found there, or didn't find. "There's no barcode."

"Really?" muttered Logan. "Strange." something he could look into. If the children from the breeding program didn't have barcodes, they were free. Manticore never owned them, they were never numbers. He smiled at the thought, making a note to tell Max. She'd be happy.

"What are you going to do with her?" asked Logan, folding his arms over his chest, watching the younger man. The question had been hanging in the air for what could have possibly been hours.

"I have no idea."

* * *

End Chapter One.


	2. Chapter II: Instinct

**The Rise of Taj  
By darkmagic-luvr  
Rating - R  
Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters seen before you. Any characters you don't recognize do belong to me and I would be delighted if you didn't steal them and make them your own.  
**Summery:** After Manticore burned to the ground, Alec lived in Max's shadow, but after a member of his unit finds him, he has to pick up the role he thought he left behind.  
**Author's Note: **I'd like to thank everyone who's reivewed and favorited this story so far! I'm glad you all like it so much.Again, character pics/designations are on my profile page. Read and Review!

This story is set sometime between 'Two' and 'Some Assembly Required'. You all wanted Maxie's reaction, here it is.

* * *

Chapter II: Instinct

_Six years ago_

"X5-494 and X5-451 will meet the Manticore contact in India, gather the weapons schematics and return for pick-up immediately. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Lydecker nodded, turning away from the two X5's and back to the blonde woman behind him. She sneered at him.

"Very good, Deck, maybe you're salvageable after all," Renfro was trying not to laugh, but really, he'd been spending the last ten years trying to catch a bunch of under trained, frightened children. What did he expect. Her steel blue eyes flickered back to the two X's still standing to attention in her office. Their masks where impenetrable, but nothing could mistake the shiver of fear when they walked in to find good ol' Deck standing behind the door.

He was a perpetual pain in the ass, and a complete screw up, but he was still able to send ever X5 stiff with fear. Renfro waved the X5's away and then fitted Deck with a stare. "You're dismissed."

India was…well it fucking sucked. In 494's option, the heat was almost as bad as the smell. Post-Pulse world had knocked ever country down on the totem poll, leaving people homeless, starving and desprate. He was bored out of his mind driving in this heat and all he wanted to do was grab the weapon designs and go home, back to his nice, air-conditioned cell. With running water and food and working toilets. 494 glanced over at 451, she was staring out the window at some building in the distance, a dreamy expression on her face. Her blonde hair was up in a ponytail, but every time the car jerked or she shifted it would stick to the back of her neck. It didn't look like she minded much. 494 frowned, leaning around her to follow her eyes to the building.

"What are you looking at, 451?" startled, 451 looked back at him sharply, and not for the first time, 494 had to admire the differences between her and 453. They were so close in number but they were totally different. He sometimes wondered what 452 would be like. If she was like 453 or 451. He decided it didn't matter and tuned back in to catch the ending of 451's sentence.

"…and named it in memory of his favorite wife," 451 narrowed her eyes at him and said dryly, "You're an excellent listener 494. Really, I'm astounded by your level of attentiveness."

494 rolled his eyes at her. "Why are you so captivated by the stupid building, 451?"

"It's beautiful," she said simply, turning back to look at it. "The Taj Mahal is one of the most amazing places in the world-"

"You've always been too interested in history for your own good," teased 494, smirking as she glared at him over her shoulder. "Is that why you volunteered for this mission?"

She shrugged. "I know 331 usually goes on assignments like this, and he always talks about the buildings."

"He's got an attention for detail," said 494 with a shrug. 451 sighed, looking away from the building and settling back into her seat. She was quite for a long time, and 494 wondered if he had hurt her feelings or something. He was about to open his mouth to apologize when 451 interrupted.

"I just, wanted to see it," she said softly. "It could be the only chance I get."

494 stared at her, evaluating before replying seriously. "You see it now. What do you think?"

She looked at him, her eyes shining with tears. "It's perfect."

.

Original Cindy had seen a lot in her life. She seen the woman she loved die, watched her Boo get her ass handed to her by some revved up dude and then hand his ass right back. She'd learned Max was a genetically revved up female and she'd seen the girl come onto Normal.

However. She never thought she'd see the day when she would open the door at 11 at night to find Hot Boy standing in the doorway with a baby boo in his arms.

"Alec, honey, why the hell do you have a baby?" Alec shrugged, amused, stepping into OC's personal space, causing her to take a step back, her eyes still on the baby in his arms.

"She's mine."

"What the hell do ya mean, yours?" OC's snapped the door shut, jutting her hip to one side and crossing her arms over her chest. Alec gave her a look.

"I know you're a lesbian, but you gotta have some sort of general knowledge about where babies come from." OC pursed her lips together.

"Who's baby is that, Hot Boy?" Alec's face twisted in amusement.

"Hot Boy?"

"Answer the damn question fool."

"I told you, she's mine. Max told you about the breeding program, right?" OC nodded. "Well, OC, this is Taj. Taj is the very first of the second generation of X-5's."

"What the hell kind of name is Taj?" Alec's eyes darkened briefly before replying.

"Better than if Max named her. I mean, Bugler? Fixit? I'm lucky my name makes sense."

"Max named you?" asked OC. Alec shrugged.

"Speaking of Max, where is her royal bitchiness?" OC rolled her eyes and turned away from him, heading into the kitchen where a kettle was sitting on the burner.

"Boo stopped by Joshua's for dinner. Why? You better not be thinkin' you gonna drop another one of your messes onto my girl's lap."

"Actually I was wondering if you could watch her while I go steal thing. I don't have baby things at my place, and you have no idea how inconvenient it is to disable an alarm system with a crying child."

OC gave him a look. "Speaking from experience?"

"There was this one time-"

"Changed my mind, I don't wanna hear it," interrupted OC, raising her hand to stop him. "So where your baby mama at?"

Alec didn't answer. His eyes darkened and he looked away. "She's gone."

"Gone? So some chick just shows up on ya doorstep, hands you a baby and booked it?" Alec didn't say anything. He moved to the worn out couch and sat down, staring at the floor blankly. "Alec?"

"She's dead." he said it so softly that OC almost didn't catch it. When she registered what he'd said she felt something in her heart break for the poor boy. She moved out of the kitchen and sat down next to him on the couch, putting her hand on his shoulder. Alec shook his head, like he couldn't believe it was all real. "She was in my unit at Manticore. Her name was Polly. Died in childbirth."

"When, sugar?"

"A couple hours ago."

"_Damn_, Boo," whispered OC, moving her hand from Alec's shoulder to his hair, brushing it off his forehead gently. "I'm sorry-"

OC was cut off as the door opened and Max came storming in, all Max-like. She stopped the second she entered the room and stared at Alec and OC sitting on the couch together. She raised an eyebrow in amusement and the other one shot up when the thing in Alec's arms _moved_.

"What the hell is that?"

"It's a baby," said Alec dryly. Max's face twisted into something akin to disgust.

"Where'd it come from?"

"Where do you think? I thought OC was bad, but-"

"Fool, don't be talking like I ain't here."

"You've only been out of Manticore for two months, Alec," said Max, ignoring the way OC's eyebrow rose at the venom and disgust in her voice. "Where'd you get the baby?"

"Ah, Alec, why don't I take Taj into the other room? Ya know, 'case you twos start duking it out in the living room."

Alec looked warily at her before handing OC the little girl in his arms. He watched the black woman disappear through the bathroom door and slowly turned back to Max, taking a breath to prepare himself for the inevitable blame fest. Max stuck her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow at Alec as he readied himself.

"Where'd the baby come from, Alec?"

"Breeding program."

The two little words hit her like a fucking brick. Max stared at him, her mouth hanging open, unable to really…comprehend what he told her. It was like her synapses weren't firing or something. Alec started smirking at her, and that seemed to snap her brain into gear and she shut her mouth, her teeth clicking together. Max narrowed her eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about, breeding partner? _I_ was you're breeding partner at Manticore and I'm pretty sure they didn't assign you more than one," his snort told her he agreed so Max prattled on. "So what? You get tired of not getting any locked up inside Manticore so you decided to get all hot and heavy with someone you _could_ have your way with-?"

Max didn't even finish speaking before Alec spun around, blurring across the room and slamming her against the wall five feet away, the wood cracking at the force he used, his hand on her neck and pinning her against the wall so her toes barely scrapped the floor. OC walked out of the bathroom with Taj in her arms, her face screwed up in concern over the noise. Whatever she said was lost on Max as Alec's face moved closer to her, his voice low and dangerous and taking an authoritative tone she'd never imagined him having.

"Max I put up with a lot of your shit with the only reason being because _I owe you_, but if you ever insult someone from my unit, my _family_ ever again, you will find yourself thrown through the nearest wall, do I make myself clear?"

All Max could do was nod and just like that Alec released his hold on her neck and taken a step back. Max's hand flew to her neck, probing the tender skin with her fingertips and wondering if it would bruise. Taj let out a whimper, sensing the anger and tension in the room and just like that Alec's body relaxed and his eyes softened. He turned away from Max and moved towards OC, who backed up a step automatically as he approached. But after gauging that he wasn't a threat, she relaxed and let him take his daughter in his arms, running the pad of his thumb down her check, a smirk on his face with so much tenderness in it that it made Max's heart ache.

"Didn't think Manticore had Parenting 101. Was it in between your CVU course and How To Manhandle Women 101 or was it after lunch?"

A little bit of the smirk she knew caught on his face, but he just lifted a shoulder to her jab at how he treated girls and simply said, "Instinct."

"Instinct?" asked Max, putting on her bitch face and cocking her head to the side. "You automatically know when she's upset and how to fix it because of _instinct?_"

He shrugged again and finally turned back to look at her, his eyes still soft. "Pretty much. You wanna give it a shot?"

He sounded so serious that she was almost speechless. She felt herself nodding before she had a chance to control the movement and then Alec was in front of her and instructing her on how to hold Taj. The baby was soft and shiny and new and stared up at her with eyes that were defiantly going to turn green. She'd have his coloring too, maybe her skin would be lighter because Polly was almost translucent, and she'd have lighter, dirty blonde hair when she got older too. She'd be a knock out, panties would drop to the floor just because she was looking at you. And the way Alec was looking down at his daughter, she'd have him wrapped around her finger, she already did.

Alec was looking at her funny, holding his daughter to her chest. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and she nearly forced Taj back into his arms before her hands started shaking. But the look was gone after she blinked, and the smart ass was back despite Taj in his arms.

"Guess you're just not cut out for it, Maxie."

And that actually hurt.

* * *

End of Chapter Two.


	3. Chapter III: Confessions and Funerals

The Rise of Taj  
By darkmagic-luvr  
disclaimer: no ownage

_Chapter III: Confessions and Funerals_

Alec was standing a block away from Jam Pony with Taj leaning against his chest, her head nuzzled into the crock of his neck, sleeping peacefully, unaware her life was going to be changed forever. Alec had a problem. He had a daughter and he had a job. He couldn't- wouldn't leave his daughter alone, couldn't quit without loosing the sector pass and he knew limited parental figures. Okay, so he knew _no_ parental figures, he knew people. Unfortunately, Logan was out of the question (no way in hell he was going to leave his kid with someone like _Logan_ for a number of reasons). Josh, despite how much Alec loved the guy, had dexterity issues. The guy could barely hold a pain brush, no way was he going to look after Taj (Joshua had been disappointed to know that he could only see his 'Littlest Fella' when Alec was around). OC and Max had work same as he did as did Sketchy (no way in hell was he even considering Sketch though), and so that left no one.

Well…almost no one.

"Get a grip, 494," muttered Alec, glaring at the Jam Pony sign hanging outside the door. "You've taken out an entire army with a grin and a piece of bubble gum. Survived Psy-Ops and reindecoration and Max. This is a piece of freaking cake."

Taking a breath, Alec made his way into Jam Pony, catching OC's eye over by the lockers. She shook her head in understanding. Already people were starting to look at him funny, and Alec (who was nervous already), shifted Taj on her shoulder, ready to just bail and find a new job.

"Hey, Alec!" Alec grimaced as Sketchy walked up behind him, clapping him on the back. He felt his friend stop and move around until he was standing on his other side, staring at the baby Alec was holding.

"Ah, dude? What up with the kid?" Alec was saved from answering by Original Cindy, who walked up with her hands on her hips.

"Sketch, don't you have sumthan you need to be doin'? Like yo job?"

"Ah, hello? Alec with a baby? I think that takes precedence over Normal any day," said Sketchy, missing Alec's eye roll. He turned back to the better, more attractive man holding the small child and grinned. "So, you steal it or something?"

OC smacked him upside the head, while Alec just gaped at him. Seriously? Did he look like the type of guy to steal someone's kid?

"Fool, get outta here before OC has ta lay the smack down on your ass."

Sketchy grumbled something about his head already feelin' it and moved away. OC glared after him before turning back to Alec, her eyes softening at the sight of Taj.

"What's she doin' here, Alec?"

"I can't leave her anywhere," said Alec softly, turning his head to look down at his girl. "I want to keep an eye on her and Normal…well, I'm his Golden Boy. I'm pretty sure he'd take a bullet for me."

"You thought this through, sugar?" asked OC gently. "People 'll ask questions that you wont wanna answer. Normal included."

Alec shook his head. "It's the only way."

OC opened her mouth to try and veto his idea again when - speak of the devil - Normal bipped up to them. OC excused herself rather quickly, but stayed near by, keeping an eye on Alec and Normal. Taj gurgled in her sleep and settled further into Alec's shoulder. Normal jumped at the movement and stared, his mouth preparing to bip but going slack at the sight of his golden boy with a baby in his arms.

"Hey, Normal," said Alec happily, giving his boss his best, most dazzling smile, catching the Ordinary off guard. "I got a favor to ask. See, thing is, I need someone to watch my kid-"

Normal's sputtering cut him off. "Your kid?!"

Alec closed his eyes and sighed as every Jam Pony employee stopped what they were pretending to do to stare openly at them. Quickly trying to hide his grimace with another grin, Alec prattled on. "Yeah, I was wondering if you might be able to watch her-"

"That's your kid?" asked Normal, pointing at Taj. Alec frowned at him.

"Yeah," he said again, trying to keep the conversation on track without punching his boss in the teeth. "So anyways, what I was saying was maybe you could watch her while I'm off on my runs-"

"Your kid." said Normal once again, but looking far less shell shocked. "And you need me to watch her? Why?"

"Because if you don't then I'll have to quit," said Alec, raising one shoulder in nonchalance. Normal only heard the words, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline and then furrowing just as quickly, shaking his head.

"She's got a mother, doesn't she-"

"Normal, just take the kid and shut ya mouth," snapped OC, finally butting into their conversation. She'd seen the unconcealed pain flash across Alec's face and stepped in before Normal could catch on. Normal frowned at her and slowly nodded.

"You're one of my best messengers," said Normal, puffing out his chest slightly. "Can't loose a solid guy like you. But I am not watching anyone else's kids!" he said loudly, glancing over at his reprobates. "You hear that? So if any of you worthless bags of human flesh have any spawns running around-"

"They got it, Normal," said OC, raising an eyebrow. Alec shot Normal another megawatt smile and handing his sleeping child over to the Ordinary.

"You're good, right Regan?" Normal shifted Taj in his arms, waving off Alec's question.

"Of course I am, I have four younger siblings, all of them have children. I could do this in my sleep," Normal frowned suddenly, looking up at Alec. "Does she have a name?"

"Yeah, it's Taj."

"Interesting name," mumbled Normal. Alec ignored him, like he had Logan and OC when they'd asked.

"Thanks, Regan. Really appreciate this," said Alec, putting as much relief in his voice as he could and brushing past Normal to his locker, ignoring the stares he was getting.

OC joined him moments later, leaning against the row of lockers behind him, watching him pull his bag out of his locker before shutting it again, bracing his hands against the ugly orange metal.

"Alec-"

OC was interrupted by the annoyingly cheerful tone of Alec's phone. OC's narrowed as Alec pulled it out and held it to his ear.

"Go for Alec." OC listened to a one sided conversation of Alec's 'hmms' before she was shocked right out of her skin with a, "Thanks, Logan, be right over."

"What the hell was that?"

"Logan. I gotta go."

"Where?" asked OC, reaching out to grab Alec before he made a run for it. He looked at her, his face blank and his eyes dead.

"I have to go bury my sister."

.

Max had gotten Logan's page before she left for work. A perfect excuse to avoid Normal _and_ Alec, she happily jumped on her baby and made her way to Fogal Towers. She was surprised, however, when she opened the door to Logan's apartment and ran straight into Alec.

Holding a dead body.

"Jesus!" hissed Max, dodging out of his way before she touched the corpse, gross. Alec narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't really notice, 'cause she was more annoyed with what he was doing here, and what he'd done and why there was a dead body in Logan's apartment to begin with.

"Max, good, you're here," said Logan briskly, ignoring the way Max was staring at Alec with disgust and how Alec's eyes had darkened slightly. "I was hoping you would be able to help us bury Polly-"

Max's face twisting in confusion stopped Logan from continuing. "Polly?"

"Alec's breeding partner," said Logan slowly. Max's eyes snapped to Alec, her eyes going wide.

"She's dead?"

Logan blinked at her.

"You didn't know?"

"He didn't mention it."

"Can we get this over with?" interrupted Alec before Logan could start on about White and exposure and all kinds of shit he didn't want to deal with. Max turned to him suddenly, her eyes wide and confused and made him a little nervous because he wasn't exactly sure what he did this time.

"Where's your kid, Alec?" he swallowed the sigh that was threatening an ass kicking.

"Normal's watching her."

"Ya left your kid with _Normal_?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to watch her?" it was a low blow, but he took it anyways. Never say he couldn't fight dirty. It shut Max up and she turned her gaze elsewhere, like the dead body in his arms. Her eyes softened and any hurt or anger or uneasiness she was feeling was smothered by the need to make him feel better. He acted like he was always alright, but she knew what it was like to loose a sister.

She reached out and touched his shoulder, catching his eyes and offering him a small, half smile. His postures relaxed slightly, not noticeable to Logan, but Max saw it and felt a little better about herself. See? This is Max not being a complete bitch. Logan cleared his throat and the little moment of pleasant non-bitchiness was extinguished.

"We should get going," said Logan, his voice too loud and too sharp for the situation. Alec nodded anyways though and as Max held the door open for him to go through first, Logan grabbed her arm, right at her elbow. The contact had her breaking away from him, taking a few steps back and sending him a look that clearly asked if he was suicidal.

"What the hell, Logan?!" He looked shocked at her tone of voice and frowned at her.

"Nothing," he brushed past her, ignoring the way she flinched away from him as he did. Max's eyes narrowed after him. What the hell was his problem?

The car ride was tense and quiet. Alec sitting in the back seat with the dead body, Max and Logan sitting in the front. Max had her arms folded over her chest, staring out the windshield wondering why the hell she had to tag along for this. But then she remembered the change in Alec last night after she'd insulted his unit, more specifically when she'd insulted Polly. She knew what it was like to loose a sibling, she couldn't imaging what Alec had to be going through after loosing the mother of his child too.

"Did you tell Max about White?" Max looked over at Logan, her eyes narrowing. Alec's sister was dead and he wanted to talk about White?

"Can't we save shop talk for later, Logan?" Logan sighed in that way that kind of pissed her off. Like she was a child who wouldn't understand.

"Max, it's important."

"And it can't wait?"

"No. It can't. White captured Polly after the escape at Manticore. Alec thinks he still might be after her."

Max blinked and swung her head around to look at Alec, who wasn't paying attention at all, just staring out the window absently. She called his name and his eyes snapped onto hers.

"Didn't think to mention White?" Max watch something dark flash in his eyes before he replied in a low voice.

"White killed my sister. What else is there to know?"

"Ya coulda mentioned that he was after her."

"He wanted to experiment on her. He _did_ experiment on her."

"It might be best if we burn the body." Both Max and Alec turned to look at Logan.

"_What?_"

"If White finds her he'll send her to a lab to be taken apart. We don't want that, do we?"

Despite how sick it sounded, Max had to agree with him. She knew she never wanted Tinga or Ben to be cut open, especially not by someone who would use it against them. But it was up to Alec. She looked back at him, and saw he was still staring at Logan, his mouth hanging open, completely shell shocked.

"We don't have to," said Max softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Logan looked over at her sharply and opened his mouth to say _'Yeah, we do have to, are you crazy? White could kill us all.'_ but stopped, shutting his mouth and sighing heavily.

"Better than White taking her apart, right?" Alec said softly, and Max couldn't think of anything better to do than to nod.

"Right."

Logan turned down the road that would take them out of town, pretending to ignore the tension in the car as he drove out of the city and into the forest. Close enough that they didn't actually leave Seattle, but far enough away that they wouldn't be asked too many questions.

Alec was out of the car and fifty feet away before Logan had it in a complete stop, standing in the dark with his hands in his hair. Max zoomed in on him, carefully tracking his movements. Logan cleared his throat loudly. She looked over at him, raising an eyebrow.

"What, Logan?"

He didn't say anything. He didn't say for a _while_. Finally he just shook his head, his hands sliding off the steering wheel and falling to his thighs. Max turned away from him, opening her door and climbing out fluidly, not pausing to shut the door as she rounded the car and headed for Alec. Behind her she could hear Logan's door opening and slamming shut, followed by another door opening. She tried to turn out the Ordinaries grunts of effort as he collected Polly's body from the car. Max stopped a yard away from Alec, shifting from one foot to the other, opening her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it.

"Tell me it's the right thing to do," he said softly. Max felt her mouth fall closed, swallowing the lump in her throat, wondering when she suddenly became someone he took advice from. He spoke again before she could come up with an answer. "Tell me this is the only way, Max. I need to hear it."

"Alec-" she stopped herself. He didn't want her pity. He didn't want her to say she was sorry. He was a soldier who needed to know that he did everything he could for his fallen comrade, that nothing would have changed the outcome that had inadvertently made him a single parent. "It's what I would do."

He turned around sharply, his eyes finding her in the dark. They flickered green in a very animal like way when the light from the headlights caught them. Max held her breath.

"Guys? Everything okay?" Alec held her gaze for a beat longer before sliding his eyes past her and toward Logan, standing behind them with a lighter in his hand and two fast burning logs he must have gotten from the trunk of his car. Alec tried not to feel sick as thoughts of burning Polly were in Logan's plans all along. Instead of turning green and calling the whole thing off he shrugged.

Logan didn't look completely convinced, his eyes flickering from Alec to Max before holding his gaze on Max's back.

"Max, think you could you give me a hand?" she tried not the make a face and to hide her discomfort before she turned around to face Logan. She gave him a look that clearly said she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart. The smell of rotting flesh tickled her nose, and Max wondered how she hadn't noticed it earlier in the car. Logan let the logs under his arm fall to the ground.

"There's a few more in the trunk of the car."

Max tried to keep her morbid thoughts of 'woe is me' to a minimum as she hefted the last of the logs out of the trunk and made her way back over to Logan, who had already set the two logs he had on fire. Burning flesh was not the most pleasant smell, and it had Logan retching behind Bessie in a matter of minutes.

Alec was still standing in the same spot Max has left him, except he was staring at the fire. She joined him, ignoring the sounds Logan was making. They stood in silence, eventually Logan stopped horking and the smell of burning flesh was less noticeable on the air.

"Alec?" her voice was drowned out by the crackle of fire. His eyebrow quirked, his silent reaction to hearing her. Max shoved her hands into her pants pockets. "You wanna talk about it?"

"No, Max, I don't."

"Are you gonna be alright?"

She knew the answer before she asked the question. She watched him smirk out of the corner of her eye, watched him swing around lazily to look at her. He shrugged nonchalantly, backing away from her and the fire.

He didn't need to say it out loud for her to know he was always alright.


End file.
